For any of you who are into the interesting, strange and downright bizarre stories of the Rich and Famous and their estates, you have to check out Investigation Discovery’s show “The Will”. Personally, I really like this show (ok, I AM an estate planning lawyer) and find it both interesting and informative. I will try to write up the episodes as they air, but check it out for yourselves! The following is Investigation Discovery’s press release about Season 3:
For Immediate Release – Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Online screeners available at: http://press.discovery.com/us/id/programs/the-will/
THE WILL: FAMILY SECRETS REVEALED GETS A FACELIFT FOR SEASON THREE,
FEATURING CELEBRITY STORIES AND FAMOUS FAMILY FEUDS
(Silver Spring, MD)—And you thought celebrities led dramatic lives? Just wait until they die for the real drama to begin. THE WILL: FAMILY SECRETS REVEALED returns this October, featuring the outrageousness that abounds when the famous depart. With royalties and residuals up for grabs, celebrities leave behind a lot more than a mansion full of cash – they also have managers, mom-agers, mistresses, and family members who all want a piece of the pie. This new season runs the gamut in spotlighting superstars like Ritchie Valens, an up-and-comer who died young and will-less; Jerry Garcia, whose grateful heart promised too much to too many; and even child star Gary Coleman, who left behind a messy estate plan that pitted his ex-wife against his former best friend. In the premiere episode, THE WILL examines the estate of Tammy Wynette, the queen of country music. When her four daughters realized they had been denied their inheritance, they began questioning the events surrounding their mother’s death, and launched a $50-million wrongful death lawsuit against their stepfather and their mother’s physician. When the personalities are big but the pocketbooks are even bigger, now that’s when things get really interesting. Season three of THE WILL: FAMILY SECRETS REVEALED premieres Thursday, October 18 at 9 PM (ET) on Investigation Discovery.
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and this new season of THE WILL offers viewers a way to glimpse into famous folks’ lives and a side of their drama that we don’t get to see too often,” said Henry Schleiff, president and general manager, Investigation Discovery. “Showcasing the aftermath of the afterlife, these stories prove that the outlandish lifestyles that celebrities lead don’t seem to end when they go six feet under.”
This new season of THE WILL: FAMILY SECRETS REVEALED features the names you know, but also the details behind the tabloid scandals you’ve never heard. When guitar legend Jimi Hendrix died without a will, an epic family dispute erupted between his brother and his adopted sister over an estate worth $80 million. The soulful James Brown left almost everything to help underprivileged children, leaving his own children with almost nothing. Wealthy NY socialite Brooke Astor’s grandson filed a lawsuit against his own father, claiming he forced Brooke to live in squalor during her last days. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo author Stieg Larsson’s will was invalidated because it lacked a witness signature, while A Confederacy of Dunces author John Kennedy Toole’s mother worked hard to get his books published after his death…and even harder to cut her husband’s relatives out of the proceeds.
With no shortage of outlawed in-laws, sibling scuffles, and deliberate denials, early premieres of THE WILL include:
The Estate of Tammy Wynette
Premieres Thursday, October 18 at 9 PM E/P
In 1998, the queen of country music, Tammy Wynette, dies suddenly at only 55 years old. She leaves behind four daughters, her fifth husband, her music rights portfolio, and two $1-million life insurance policies. But after her daughters realize that they are cut out of their inheritance, they begin questioning the events surrounding their mother’s death. They launch a $50-million wrongful death lawsuit against their stepfather and their mother’s physician, creating a scandal of epic proportions and rocking the country music industry.
The Estate of Ritchie Valens
Premieres Thursday, October 25 at 9 PM E/P
On “the day the music died,” February 3, 1959, rock n’ roll sensation Richard Valenzuela, aka Ritchie Valens, dies in a tragic plane crash at the young age of 17. Having yet to earn much money from his music, Valens does not have a will prepared. The fight for the royalties from his music begins shortly after his funeral, pitting Ritchie’s family against the man who discovered, promoted, produced, and managed the young star. The legal wrangling goes on for decades, only ending in the 1980s, when the movie “La Bamba” is released, which catapults Ritchie Valens back to top of the charts.
The Estate of Ted Williams
Premieres Thursday, November 1 at 9 PM E/P
In July 2002, legendary Red Sox hitter Ted Williams dies at the age of 83. Without informing his half-sister, Williams’ youngest children whisk away his body to be cryogenically preserved. But Williams’ official will requested cremation, and his eldest daughter takes to the courts to fight to have his body returned, dividing the family with allegations of manipulation, estrangement, and fraud…until a former employee at the cryonics company reports that Ted Williams’s body has met a horrifying fate.
The Estate of Andy Warhol
Premieres Thursday, November 8 at 9 PM E/P
In February, 1987, Andy Warhol, the iconoclastic artist and ‘prince of pop art,’ dies from complications after a routine operation. Just 58 years old, he is one of the wealthiest artists of his time. With appraisals of his work ranging from $95 million to almost $600 million, the fight for art gets ugly. His estate lawyer and his charitable foundation duke it out amid allegations of fraud, price-fixing, and shady backroom deals. The dispute culminates in a legal standoff that calls into question Warhol’s value as an artist and his legacy as a cultural icon – and just how much his own “15 minutes of fame” is worth.
THE WILL: FAMILY SECRETS REVEALED is produced for Investigation Discovery by CMJ Productions II Inc. with John Kuyk as executive producer. For Investigation Discovery, Pamela Deutsch is executive producer, Sara Kozak is vice president of production and Henry Schleiff is president and general manager
About Investigation Discovery
Investigation Discovery (ID) is America’s leading investigation network and the fastest-growing network in television. As the source for fact-based analytical content and compelling human stories, ID probes factors that challenge our everyday understanding of culture, society and the human condition. ID delivers the highest-quality programming to more than 79 million U.S. households with viewer favorites that include On the Case with Paula Zahn, Disappeared, Unusual Suspects and Stolen Voices, Buried Secrets. For more information, please visit InvestigationDiscovery.com, facebook.com/InvestigationDiscovery, or twitter.com/DiscoveryID. Investigation Discovery is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world’s #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in 210 countries and territories.
